Authors Note: So the end of IM3 sucks. Suits explode, and "After tinkering I fixed Pepper and decided not to stop there." And he has surgery to fix his issue. And this that is it. Bad story telling… SOOOOO… I'm taking a bit of artistic license and making it a bit more dramatic and lead into the fact that IM3 apparently forgot there was anyone else in his life that might care. Bad writing. ~grumbles~
I set this is approximately four months after the end of my last story and I am taking liberties with the end of IM3. It sucked. Here is how it ends - text from a movie script website.
TONY: As promised, I got Pepper sorted out. It took some tinkering. But then I thought to myself, "Why stop there?" Of course, there are people who say progress is dangerous, but I'll bet none of those idiots ever had to live with a chestful of shrapnel. And now, neither will I. - Let me tell you... -(METAL CLINKING) ...that was the best sleep I'd had in years.
WTF? Really, that is how you end her having powers, "I tinkered"? So yeah re-writing the ending to give me some meat, and provide the basis for things that will happen later. She isn't going to disappear, and I do understand a lot of it was actor things that had their relationship break up in the movies, but it sucked cause it actually worked. So, not keeping to cannon there either MCU. ~sniffs~
So this story is turning out a bit darker than I thought, but should still be a bit more upbeat than angsty. I'll just say Jolie and Safira are forces of nature, and highly annoying/adorable.
Regardless of the attitude he gave Fury, it took Xander a good few months to settle into the Tower and the offices. The only reason Buffy and Faith hadn't descended on him was a small problem in Europe that had kept them busy hunting out a small demon that bred like bunnies on steroids. It had kept them busy while he tried to figure out the dynamics of creating an office and a Slayer house.
The rule that they had to attend college full time had dissuaded more slayers than he thought. Most of them tended to the Faith, Buffy, or Kennedy mode. Slay hard, cheerleader type, or party girl. Safira was odd, but he blamed her background for that. The African slayers tended more towards the slay hard, but Safira wanted more. And he'd damn well give it to her.
Christmas had approached faster than he thought, and be sat in his office toying with the idea of seeing if Maria Hill wanted to go Christmas shopping with him. They weren't dating, but they did get along relatively well, both of them enjoying working with someone who had a sense of humor. Fury didn't have one.
The ringing of the phone pulled him out of his muse, and he frowned. Usually Jarvis announced who was calling. It took him way too long to realize it was his cell not the office phone. That drew another frown, all the people with his number had specific ring tones. Arching a brow he answered the phone.
"Harris."
"Xander, good I'm glad you answered." Giles rich voice tight with stress filtered down the line and Xander tensed.
"What's wrong, why are you calling from a number I don't know?"
Giles sighed. "Long story and I'm apologizing now. My phone died. I'm at the air port on one of their pay phones, and paying a fortune. Listen. I'm sorry, but I'm sending Jolie to you. You're the only person who might be able to handle her, and if I don't get her out of here something bad will happen to her or to someone else."
"Jolie? Who's that? A new slayer?" Xander wracked his brain, but he didn't remember a girl named Jolie, and he remembered most of them.
"What? … " there was a long pause, then a sigh. "You never met her. Damn. She was out in California when you stopped here, and came back the day you left. Jolie is… no, I'm not going to say what she is. I refuse to set any preconceptions. She's on a flight and will be there in two hours. She knows Safira. Can you pick her up? She needs to stay in New York and the slayers here are about to kill her. She's been accepted to Cornell's early admission program for the Biological Engineering program." He paused again and each paused raised the hair on Xander's neck. Giles never avoided like that. "Xander, be patient her. She needs it more than most. And I hope after growing up with Willow, you can handle her uniqueness. I've got to go. Call me tonight I should be back home."
"Okay." Xander had to fight a smile. "I lived through Faith and Buffy, I can handle one slayer."
"Here's the flight number," Giles ratted it off so fast that Xander didn't really manage to write it down. "It should land at 3:30. Good luck." Giles hung up and Xander blinked. He checked the clock, 1:30.
"Jarvis, I don't suppose you managed to get that flight number?"
"I did. Would you like me to look it up?"
"Whew, please?"
"That is a United Flight coming into JFK and should be arriving on time."
"What do you know. Miracles do occur." He picked up his phone and dialed Safira.
"Hey, Xander. What up?"
"Can you grab a cab or something and picking someone up at the airport?"
"Sure, who, what, when, where?" She sounded super perky, and Xander checked his 'Safira Schedule'. "You had lunch with Rogers today."
"Maybe," the grin could be heard in her voice. "Is there an issue?"
"Nope, just a reminder to take my insulin for all the sweetness you're going to be loaded with all day."
"Oh ha ha. You like him too."
Xander choked. "No, I don't 'like' him. He's my bud, there is no like involved. He's Captain Fricking America. Yeesh, can't I get like I don't know Peggy Carter?"
Safira snorted. "Please, she'd eat you alive. So answer my question."
"Spoilsport. United, Flight from Columbus 3:30, JFK, and a slayer named Jolie?"
There was a sudden silence on the other end. "Jolie is coming here? To stay?"
Xander blinked, he hadn't heard her voice go that flat since… the memories that flashed into his mind were firmly shut away again. Somethings never needed to see the light of day.
"Yes? She's going to go to Cornell in January?" It came out as a question as he suddenly felt like he should be saying 'I attack the darkness'. "Is there a problem?"
"Problem? No… actually…. She might be better here… okay, I'll bring her home."
It never failed to warm his heart when she called this place home, but he didn't let it distract him. "Safira, what aren't you telling me?"
"Oh, lots of stuff. Want me to tell you where Steve put his hands today?"
"Ack, no. No. No sexy thoughts about you with Captain America. Hush. Bring home our slayer. I'll see you in a bit."
He hung up on her laughing at him as he tried to banish that image. "Wicked child," he muttered.
"You are aware Peggy Carter is still alive?" Jarvis's voice provided a good distraction and he clutched at it.
"She is? Cool, but she wouldn't know who I am, and she'd have to be what - 89?"
"94, Xander."
"Hmm. She's probably still awesome. Can you put in an order for a bed for the empty room. Actually wait. Let's wait until she gets here, I don't know her so I have no idea what she might want."
"Very well. Though I have taken the liberty of ordering up a StarkPad and Laptop for her, it can be upgraded as needed."
"Thanks. Well, maybe I'll grab Maria tomorrow. I still have to go Xmas shopping."
"I'd advise you to drop something on her calendar. It is a bit full over the next two weeks."
Xander shot a look at the ceiling. "You monitor her calendar?"
"Only her public one. I monitor hers and Fury's in addition to all Stark employees. Just in case I need to be aware of something."
There was just the slightest hint of pride in that comment.
"Why don't I do it the old fashioned way?"
"And what would that be?" Jarvis inquired an arch curiosity in his tone.
"Watch and learn Padwan." Xander hit contacts on his phone and clicked on Pineapple aka Maria Hill.
"There had better not be an issue Harris, I don't have time for BS from the Avengers or the Council." She answered on the first ring, and her hard agent voice snapped out of the phone.
"Hi, Maria, it's Xander. I was wondering if you'd like to go shopping this weekend and see if we could knock out some Xmas crap?"
"Oh hey, Xander. Actually that sounds like fun. Tomorrow afternoon work?" Her agent voice had disappeared and he could imagine her leaning back and smiling, separating the two aspects of her personalty with ease.
"Awesome, meet you here and we can walk?"
"Sure, I get free parking from Tony. Sounds fun. Ice skating after wards?" There was the hint of wistfulness in her voice.
"Only if you promise to laugh when I fall on my ass."
"Deal, I'll even spring for the hot chocolate."
"Okay I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, Maria."
She hung up with a laugh and Xander glanced at the ceiling. "See, the old fashioned way."
"Rather inefficient."
"But much more fun, and unofficial, which we both need sometimes."
"Ah."
Xander looked around the office, everything was done, and he could order anything his new ward needed once she got there. A wild need to go see Bruce struck him and he wandered towards the elevator.
"Bruce in and accepting visitors?"
A pause then, "Yes, he is expecting you."
Xander smiled and headed to get some tea and a muffin for the scientist he knew damn well had probably forgotten to eat. Bruce and he got along oddly well, for all that Bruce didn't know what to make of his easy acceptance of the Hulk. Xander personally still thought wolf Oz was worse. And neither had anything on Darth Willow.
There was a lot of chatter in the cafe as he grabbed Bruce's tea and a muffin for both of them, but the man had earned it, and Xander didn't pay much attention turning over thoughts in his head as he grabbed his order and headed up to Bruce's lab. The doors slide open silently, and he walked into music that sounded like he should know it, but musical appreciation had never been his strong point.
"Bruce?"
"Over here Xander," his voice called from the dimness of the lab. Xander followed the voice, weaving around table with more equipment that he wanted to think about, until he saw the rumpled man typing away furiously on a computer.
"Ah, the mad clicks should have given it away. Arguing with Willow?"
A hint of a flush stained Bruce's cheek and Xander fought a smile. "She is most persistent and stubborn in her views."
Xander arched a brow remember Bruce's vehemence that Hulk was not to be trusted. "Pot, Kettle?"
Bruce flushed a bit darker and dropped his hand. "So, is one of those for me?" Changing the subject, which Xander didn't fail to notice.
"Yep, Chai with coconut milk, no sugar and carob carrot muffin." Handing it to Bruce.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me, eating that sounds like a punishment. So any word from Tony and Pepper? They enjoying their stay out in the land of fruits and nuts?" Xander grinned as he asked, leaning against the table to sip his sane mocha, extra espresso. He did have a new slayer to deal with after all.
Bruce shrugged. "Tony mentioned coming back for Christmas, so I assume they'll probably show up Christmas Eve and Tony'll throw a party the next day."
"Probably. Any idea what to get a billionaire that has everything?"
A snort of amusement quickly hidden behind his chai tea. "If I knew the answer to that I'd be a very popular man."
"So kitsch?"
"Kitsch," Bruce agreed. "It tends to amuse him for at least a few minutes. And our budgets can't handle anything he'd actually want."
"Hmmm, or I could cheat." Xander said idly, his mind flipping through ideas.
"Cheat? Do tell," Bruce asked an eyebrow raised as he watched Xander.
"Gentlemen, I am sorry to interrupt, but I believe you should see this." Jarvis spoke out, the soft background music in the lab quiting as soon as his voice started. A TV screen burst to life on the wall behind them, displaying a news story.
Tony was standing outside a building surrounded by reporters. "Here's a little Holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin. I just didn't know how to phrase it until now. My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward, so I've decided that you just died, pal. I'm gonna come get the body. There's no politics here; it's just good old-fashioned revenge. There's no Pentagon; it's just you and me. And on the off-chance you're a man, here's my home address: 10880, Malibu Port, 90265. I'll leave the door unlocked." He grabbed the reporters phone who had been in his face and chucked it across the street. "Bill me." Tony jumped into the car and the camera's lost track of him.
"Jarvis, what the hell was all that about? What happened?" Xander demanded his face pale.
"I apologize I should have alerted you sooner. A person called the Mandarin has been attacking people. Happy Hogan was injured. And I do believe Tony just escalated the battle."
"Stupid hard headed moron," Xander growled and glanced at Bruce, who had tensed up. "Bruce breathe. Hulk can't help from here, and there isn't much we can do right now. Let's mind our own house and see what we can do."
Bruce took several deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, and the tension faded. "This is not good."
"Nope. Jarvis, is Pepper okay?"
"Yes, at this time she fine, though she and sir are arguing."
"That actually makes me feel better." Xander shrugged and no matter how much he wanted to help, Malibu was a long way from New York, and he had things to do here. "We can watch the tower for him, and keep it safe." He turned back to Bruce. "Want a distraction?"
"I think that might be wise, something that will not raise my blood pressure."
"Well that I can't guarantee. I've got a new slayer coming in, that I know nothing about. You can meet her with me and give me some balancing testosterone."
Bruce arched a brow. "People don't usually turn to me for the testosterone levels."
Xander shrugged. "If she is too much for both of us, you can hulk out and that should keep her occupied."
"Xander," Bruce said with a mix of exasperation and annoyance. "The Hulk can not be trusted, he might hurt someone."
"Still don't believe that, Doc. But come on. Jarvis, where are they?"
"The flight just landed, I would expect them in another hour."
"Cool. I'll need to have some food waiting for them. And Cap should be coming in shortly."
"How are the young love birds?" Bruce asked as he followed Xander to the elevator.
"Good I think, from the amount of time Safira likes to spend teasing me about how their relationship is progressing."
"Still that slow?" Bruce asked in surprise. "I mean I know the 40's were more formal, but people still had sex."
"Trust me I know, I've been listening to rants about it for weeks. But he's been on a bunch of missions and so while they've been dating for what four months now, they've probably only been on ten or so dates. Though I am about ready to tell Cap to sleep with her, just to save me from listening to her whine about horniness."
Bruce laughed, his voice filling the apartment as they walked in. They both headed to the kitchen and Xander started on stuff for a casserole, for ten which meant there wouldn't be any leftovers, and Bruce started preparing a pasta salad. There were steaks he could start grilling once the girls got here.
"Jarvis, can you ping Cap and see if he'd like to have dinner with us?"
There was no response, and Xander and Bruce both froze.
"Jarvis?"
Again silence. And Xander shot a glance at Bruce, who looked back, eyes wide shaking his head slowly. The TV blipped on, and the new report showed the Malibu house on fire and sinking into the ocean.
Xander quit breathing, Pepper and Tony had been in there, they couldn't be… a streak of light shot across the screen arching high over head and disappearing.
Static crackled from the speakers. "I am back. The house in Malibu is lost. I had to transfer to my back up servers." The voice sounded flatter and less rich than Jarvis normally did.
"Are Tony and Pepper alive?"
There was a delay but even a few seconds from Jarvis meant worlds of things going wrong. "Yes, though I am unable to contact Pepper. Her phone was destroyed and and I am not sure who she is currently with. Tony is alive, but my sensors have shorted and I can not access the suit."
Xander took a deep breath, trying to mimic the calm Bruce practiced. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Not that I am able to ascertain at this time. My responses may be delayed." There was an odd static pop and it went silent again.
"Well, Brucie, it is you and me. I don't think we need your counter part at this time." He turned and started some tea. "Take a seat, I've got some tea going for you. You're looking a bit green."
Bruce sat staring out the window onto the city. "You carry tea just for me?"
"Sure, why wouldn't I?" Xander asked as he continued working on dinner.
"You're an odd man." Bruce glanced at him, then back out at the view.
"Your point?"
The elevator doors dinged and slid open, ejecting Steve Rogers out in a panic. "What is going on? I heard Tony was attacked and Jarvis isn't responding." His eyes flew around the room. "Where's Safira? Is she okay?"
"She is fine. She's picking up someone from the airport, she should be back shortly." Xander realized how bad Cap had it when he relaxed and his eyes flicked to the TV.
"What do we know?" The Captain America voice was back, but Xander just ignored it.
"Not much, and we can't really do anything cause we don't know anything. So, calm down?" Xander shot a look at Bruce who had moved out to the balcony. "Both of you. Yeesh, getting upset when there is nothing to do is counter productive. Now come here and help me cook."
Steve glanced at him and nodded a bit, moving into the kitchen. Xander poured some tea and brought it out to Bruce. "I can make it Irish if that would help."
A flash of a smile crossed Bruce's face. "Thank you but no. You are correct, there is nothing I can do right now, so I'll just wait and help you with a slayer."
"You're getting a new slayer? What is she like?" Steve asked as he picked up where Bruce had left off on the salad.
"No idea. I've never met her."
The conversation fell away, and all the men watched the non-stop play of the news until Xander couldn't handle it anymore and shut it off. "They aren't saying anything new and I'd rather not create stress over something we can't help. Maria knows how to get a hold of us, as does Pepper and Jarvis. We need to trust Tony. Going off crazy with worry will just get more people hurt and we've got no idea what is going on."
"True," Bruce said looking calmer.
Steve looked like he wanted to protest, but the chime of the elevator had all of them turning. Safira all but flew into the room. "Any news? Jarvis isn't responding. Steve!" There was a blur and she was in his arms, giving him a hug tight enough that even Xander heard Steve's bones creak. Safira liked Pepper and Tony. She'd had enough loss in her life that the though of losing someone else hit her hard.
"Safira, where is Jolie?" Xander asked, not seeing another girl with her.
"Ah, frag." She pulled herself from Steve's arms, leaving the man watching her with a hungry expression that Xander snickered at. He still didn't know if they would make it long term but for now the slow burn romance provided entertainment for everyone, except Safira.
"Jolie, come on."
"It will be the same here." A low rebellious voice came from the elevator.
"I doubt it. They're all smarter than me."
"That isn't saying much."
"Jolie, I will pick you up and carry you in, and then everyone will treat you like a child." Safira's voice had a warning tone that Xander rarely heard.
He tilted his head listening. All of the men were now peering in the direction of the elevator, curiosity clear on their faces. It had the nice side effect of distracting them from the danger Tony might be in, and Jarvis's silence.
"I know I'm smarter than them. I've heard all about Xander. He isn't going to understand anything I talk about." There was a level of petulance and stress in her voice that made Xander frown even more.
"You don't know anything about him." Safira's voice had gone ice cold.
"Do too. He barely graduated from high school, never went to college, and can't do any magic. He only went to Africa because no one else wanted him."
Steven and Bruce shot Xander wide eyed looks. Xander shrugged, the words didn't bother him, but pieces were rapidly falling into place.
"Jolie, you will never talk about Xander that way again. If you do not get your ass out of this elevator and into the apartment I will forget that I am almost three feet taller than you and out weigh you by a hundred pounds and I will beat your ass into the ground."
"Fine," the petulance had morphed into resignation and it echoed around the room. The sound of steps moved into the apartment.
Authors Note - I hope you enjoyed, I'll get the rest of this story up over the next few days. If you would like to see more of my original work, look up Mel Todd on Amazon. I have two series going and could use some reviews - lol, even there reviews are everything. Have a great Thanksgiving week!